O.K. already....so I have gotten the hint...I am not doing a very good job at keeping this blog up to date...for those of you who know me...if something seems daunting...I tend to put things off until I really need to tackle it...Mor and Dad remind me often-pretty much daily that I should update it...friends have mentioned that maybe I should update it...Darrell jokes that maybe he should send me a comment requesting an update...and Alayna's teacher jokingly mentioned to me today that it has not been updated in quite a while so....for all of you supporters, well wishers, family and friends, I suppose I will attempt an update. I will begin part of it tonight and finish the rest by the end of the w/e.

So, here goes. I am alive, living well, and happy. Have been busy lately it seems.

Alayna is doing great! She is now 7 years old. I can't believe that she is 7 already. Time sure zooms by when you have children. She is having a blast in 1st grade. She has an amazing teacher-not just saying this b/c her teacher reads the blog. Alayna is truly blessed with Mrs. York as her teacher. Alayna also has a great class of classmates. She loves library time, gym class and her gym teacher, art class, recess, and lunch in the cafeteria. Alayna also enjoys riding the bus. Alayna is quite the singer and performer these days. She got a karaoke machine with a microphone from Santa and often belts out songs from High School Musical-which she loves the soundtrack. She also enjoys playing Wii as we bought one for Christmas.

Khaya is also doing great! She is now 7-months-old. She weighed 18.5 pounds at her 6-month check-up. She has 2 teeth. Smiles a lot. Giggles and laughs adorably. She is now eating cereal, fruits, and veggies. She pretty much sleeps through the night with an occasional hiccup. She is almost sitting up. The adoption was final on January 12th, 2009. An interesting fact...Alayna's b-day is January 12th. Therefore, we became official parents on the same day-7 years apart. Pretty cool we think.

Darrell is also doing well. He is working hard on losing weight and getting in shape. He has been going to the gym in the morning (around 6 a.m.) before work. I think he is enjoying it and feels good. He is also getting lots of exercise with his Wii playing. Darrell is also enjoying and busy at work these days. He is working with a mentor (partner) that he really enjoys working with and is learning a lot.

Now about ME! I am so ready for winter and cold weather to be over and for sunny and warmer days to be here. Don't get me wrong...I am not looking for hot, hot, hot but for warmer weather. I do feel blessed that at least the sun has been out and shining despite the cold.

Still very frustrated about the uncertainty of my biomarkers (HER2) status. We still do not have any definitive answers (about 3 months later). My local oncologist/cancer center found my original block and sent it out to CA for FISH testing-only 1 lab in the country conducts this test. The conclusion from this testing is: the DCIS-Ductual Carcinoma In Situ (original dx prior to mastectomy) was HER2(+) (have been informed that about 75% of all DCIS is HER2+) and the invasiveness outside the DCIS was HER2(-). Statistically, only about 25% of all breast cancers are HER2(+). My original block was returned to NH and sent back out to CA-to another lab-for HERMARK testing-again-only one lab conducts this test. We are hoping that this test sheds some light as to my true HER2 status. The HERMARK test is suppose to be more reliable than the FISH. We are hoping to have some answers tomorrow as I have tx. My oncologist shared that my case is "complex" and I might be on an individual medical journey. If pathology and testing is unable to definitively conclude my HER2 status, we will error on the side of caution and treat as if I were HER2(+). This treatment will not harm me if I am truly HER2(-) and will only help me if I am truly HER2(+). I have been and still remain concerned about the validity of the pathology testing and results. I do not want to be ruled out HER2(+) and not receive additional tx if there is a possibility that I might be, despite the pathology testing being inconclusive. If this is not clear, what I am trying to say is, I don't want to be considered
HER2(-) when I might truly be HER2(+) but not receive the tx for HER2 (+). Little anxious about all of this. Will keep you all posted on this status as I receive additional information.

My oncologist waffles about whether she favors my status as HER2(+) vs. HER2(-). Herceptin has leveled the playing field for HER2(+) vs. HER2(-). HER2(+) tends to be more aggressive and tends to spread to other major organs (brain, lungs, and liver). HER2(-) tends to be less aggressive and tends to have a "homing" signal to spread to the bones and stays in the bone (research is not able to identify why this is yet). It appears that HER2(-) might overall be a better prognosis-with a longer life expectancy-statistically that is-I am going to beat all of the statistics (HER2 +/-) though so am not paying attention to them.

Treatment update...

I am still receiving monthly Lupron shots to maintain the chemical menopause.

I am still receiving monthly Zometa infusions.

I am still receiving monthly Herceptin infusions until we determine my HER2 status.

I am still taking daily Arimidex pills.

I am scheduled for an oopherectomy (ovary removal surgery) on 2/26/09. There is also a possibility that I will have to have my cervix taken out as well. We will know the answer to this next week.

I will have my next PET Scan the 1st week of March. This will measure the status of my bone lesions.

I will have my CA 27-29 done in the beginning of March. This will measure my tumor markers to see if the current treatment is working and killing the active cancer/cancer cells.

I will have my 6 month mammogram in March.

I will have CT SCANS of my organs and an MRI of my brain in March.

March will be busy I guess.

This is all for tonight....in my next blog (which will be posted by Sunday night when I go to bed), I will share about: my exercise program (cancer well fit program including yoga), my alternative treatments (acupuncture/orthomolecular medicine/integrative medicine-very interesting), what I have been doing with my time. I know that I have a lot to share as I have not been updating on a weekly basis. Hopefully I will do a better job and not have to share so much in a single entry.

I hope that you are all well, healthy, and happy. I look forward to hearing from you all and welcome comments.

Abby, of course I remember you. You were one of my favorite nurses. How are you? How is your husband and step-children? I hope you are well. My e-mail is dlchichester@yahoo.com if you want to send me a private e-mail.

Please continue to send positive thoughts/energy and prayers. We need all the support we can get!

Take Care,

Lisa